More Digging in the Dirt

My last post (weeks ago!) – I showed you how I pulled all of the sod from my new flower beds. I was so glad to finish that, but I was left with big clumps of hard dirt that no plant would be happy with.

In the past, I would have just started turning over shovels-full of dirt and busting up the clumps old-school. But since I kinda need to walk to get through my days, I opted for help from power tools. We rented a small rototiller – best idea ever! Since the sod was already gone, the rototiller went through the dirt super easy.

We added a nice thick layer of mushroom manure and tilled it in – what a difference that made!

When I look at this picture, I think – How in the world do 6 people live there??!! It looks so tiny! And then I think, Wow – I really need to get some photography skills. Seriously. Even just a wee little bit of skill.

I did finally manage to get the beds planted. I was so late this year – I didn’t plant until Memorial Day weekend. Which is when my parents always planted their garden (huge vegetable garden – no time for flowers!) It’s definitely safer to wait until there’s no threat of frost – but I’m usually so excited to get things started. This is the first year in a loooong time that we actually had frost warnings as late as the end of May. My procrastination this year at least saved me from covering everything – more than once.

Here’s a couple of pictures before I got the summer plants in…

This rhododendron is amazing – it’s probably as old as our house! It’s so big and beautiful.

I love this clematis, but I keep forgetting to get a taller trellis for it. So instead of getting taller it folds over itself and twists around anything nearby.

Beautiful peonies and false indigo along the side of the house…

I wish spring flowers would stick around just a bit longer. Sigh…

It’s POURING rain today! So glad that I watered everything last night.

Tomorrow is our last day of school! I’m can’t wait to get the summer started. We’ve never had an official summer bucket list, but this year we’re putting one together. One thing that will be on it for sure is tennis lessons. We bought some rackets at a flea market last year and are determined to use them!

Brenda…I LOVE your house! I reminds me of an English cottage! And homes always look deceivingly smaller from the outside than they are on the inside. I think I’ve told you that we live in a very small city house, it’s hard to place furniture and when all six of us were here, yes, we could have used an extra bedroom and bath!

You have the best gardening skills! All of your flowering shrubs and the clematis are beautiful. What are you planting in the new bed? I haven’t even gotten to cleaning up my patio yet! Our rule of thumb in the Midwest is to plant after Mother’s Day. Well, we’ve had frosts, too, and I think everyone is a little relieved they waited.

We have a small rototiller, I used to have a huge veggie garden at the lake. Now hubby uses it to fluff up the beach! lol! Yes, totally worth renting.

Your house doesn’t look tiny ….it looks like home! If you told someone to draw a picture of home it would be similar….it would not be a huge McMansion. I think that’s another reason cottage decor is so popular. it makes everyone feel warm and safe. Now about those beds……what is in them now that they are all prepped?